Feb. 20, 2015

Are Women at Greater Risk for Alzheimer’s?

Of the 5.2 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, nearly two-thirds are women. When it comes to adults over the age of 65, one in six women are likely to develop Alzheimer’s in contrast to one in 11 men. Why do females seem more susceptible to this disease? It’s not as simple as the fact that they tend to live longer than men. Neurologists Roberta Diaz Brinton and Michael Greicius discuss why it’s important to study women with Alzheimer’s as a distinct population, and why females might be more likely to develop the disease.